Banish Stress With Pen and Paper and You’ll Feel Better Fast

By Vincent Scott Stress happens.  Sometimes it’s no big deal. Other times, you want to scream or throw something or eat an entire devil’s food cake… whatever relieves the pressure. But all of those things have consequences. There is a way to deal with stress that is free, convenient, private, enormously effective, and the only consequence is… you’ll feel better. Next time stress overwhelms you, grab a pen and a pad of paper and sit down and write about it. Write furiously and don’t think about grammar or sentence structure or correct English or rudeness. If the voice in your head is calling your boss a soul-stealing, penny-pinching toadeater, write it. If your coworker stole your clearly marked lunch yet again, tell him to knock it off, but save your screaming tirade for pen and paper...then shred the paper. You’ll be surprised how much better you’ll feel. Some therapists recommend that you save your writing and read it later. But if knowing the paper exists inhibits you, don’t take the chance.  Shred it immediately. Or, try this:  Write line upon line so that your words are rendered unreadable.  Then toss it away.   Think This is Nonsense? If you doubt this will help, you should know there is a great deal of medical evidence that writing relieves stress. It’s like a silent scream only better. Naturally it doesn't solve the problem but it puts the issue outside of you for a while, clears the cobwebs out of your head, and makes it easier to deal with.  It allows you to break a big problem down into smaller, more digestible chunks. Some people say it helps you face your demons.    Studies show that people who deal with stress by writing are often healthier and happier.  Professor of psychology, James Pennebaker, Ph.D. (University of Texas at Austin) and Joshua Smyth, assistant professor of psychology (University of North Dakota) did extensive research involving asthma patients and patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In a four-month study one group was asked to write daily about traumatic events in their lives. The other group was also asked to write, but only about their plans for the day. At the end of the study, 47 percent of the group that wrote about stress showed marked improvement in the symptoms of their diseases.  By comparison, only 24 percent of the other group showed improvement. Why Does Writing Help Improve Health? The “why” is still somewhat of a mystery.  But medical doctors acknowledge that prolonged emotional stress can weaken the immune system, exacerbate heart disease, asthma, and other diseases.   Writing provides some relief from those symptoms by allowing you to expel negative energy. Doctors Pennebaker and Smyth have conducted numerous other studies that bring similar conclusions.   Currently they are using writing therapy to help patients deal with infertility and to prolong the lives of patients with heart disease and cancer. The evidence is clear that writing can be a great stress reliever.  It doesn’t require an appointment and the price is right. You won’t have to take time off of work.   So what are you waiting for? Next time your boss pushes your buttons or your spouse’s bad habits threaten your sanity, grab a pen and a paper and let the negative energy flow out of you.   You may learn to love the idea of writing so much that you’ll decide to make it more than a stress reliever.  It’s a great hobby, and it can be a way of life, and if you put enough energy into it, an income. Writing and Health Writing Therapy Comments (0) >> Write comment Name Email Website Title Comment Write the displayed characters Add Comment

 

< Prev		Next >